Scene II All the Odds
From the Perspective of a Drama Queen
"There's a new kid," Charlotte says, falling in place in the chair across from me.
"What? Why didn't you tell me?" I snap. She knows I hate not knowing about new kids, I need heads up to mess with them. Heads up way before the last week of summer.
"I just did," she shrugs, playing dumb.
"I mean sooner," I press, rolling my eyes.
"He only got here 2 weeks ago, I didn't even know if he was in our grade until a few hours ago, Lucy," she defends herself.
"He? Is he cute?" I ask. What? I'm a 13 — okay, technically 12 and a half — year old girl, it's perfectly normal for me to want to know this.
"Yeah, but he's been hanging out with Gollum," she sighs.
"Wait, what? No one's told him what a loser she is yet?" I demand.
"No one had a chance, he moved in right next door to her," she says, adjusting her ponytail and glancing down at my untouched fro yo, "you're not eating?"
"Never mind that, ugh, a cute guy wasted on Gollum," I groan, throwing my uneaten fro yo in the trash so I won't get fat.
"Lucy, Charlotte! Why didn't you tell me you guys were gonna be at DQ?" Kendra, my best friend, laughs, joining us.
"Oh, we didn't plan on it, we were just walking around town, — and we all know there's not much to do here — gossiping about the new kid," Charlotte smiles, giggling a little.
"New kid?" Kendra tilts her head.
"Yeah, he's cute, I think his name's Evan, but he moved next door to Gollum so, he's a lost cause unless Lucy cares to "persuade" him," Char giggles.
"You know I like Brett," I roll my eyes, stirring the ice cubes in my water around with a straw. It's only a half-truth though. Brett's an ass. I'm just expected to like him. We all are. He is hot though. I'll give him that.
"Wait, you like Brett?" Kendra asks, eyes wide.
"Yes, Kendra, I like the hottest boy in our school who can sing and is quarterback," I deadpan, God, how clueless is she?
"Oh, it's just . . . I like Brett," she mumbles, fidgeting with the hem of her blouse.
"Oh." She. Did. Not. "And why didn't you tell me, your best friend?"
"Well, I . . . I thought you knew," she mumbles. Again.
"My God, Kendra, learn to speak up," I roll my eyes. Fine. She wants Brett, she can have him.
For now.
Oh, Lucy Dunn, you have outdone yourself this time.
It's a good thing Charlotte's a gossip, my plan would never come off otherwise.
Wait, I have to check how I look first, appearance is important if I'm gonna try this. Okay, hair looks great, makeup's fine, outfit's awesome, skipping breakfast and lunch was definitely a good idea. And we are set.
God knows how long later, I'm in front of the mall, where Charlotte knew Evan and Gollum would be, "on my phone."
"Mom, I can't walk home, it's freezing! But — Mom, please. Lewis can't come get me with his stupid bike, he's hanging out with Brett and the smurfs," I argue, shivering a little. I wasn't lying about that part. Okay, maybe it's my fault for wearing a spaghetti strap top, but it's summer. And part of the plan. "Mom, just, please — fine." I hang up in defeat, groaning and burying my face in my hands.
"Whoa, hey, are you okay?" A boy asks, putting a warm hand on my shoulder.
"Yeah, fantastic, I only have to walk all the way across town to get home," I fake a laugh.
"What? That sucks, look, uh, I'm Evan Goldman, and, uh, I could give you a lift, my mom's picking me and my neighbor up," he rambles. Perfect. I give him a quick once over, ooh, he is cute.
"Really? You'd do that for me?" I ask, with wide, hopeful eyes.
"Well, yeah, who knows what'd happen to you if you walked home alone," he shrugs, tugging at his shirt collar.
"Thank you so much, you're a life saver," I smile gratefully, going on my toes to hug him. He awkwardly places his hands on my back, obviously trying to figure out where exactly they should go.
Someone clears their throat.
I pull away, his hands falling abruptly to his sides.
"Lucy?" An all too familiar voice asks.
"Oh, hey, Patrice," I try not to choke on her name, "wait, are you Evan's neighbor?"
"Never mind that, what are you doing?" She demands, venom in her voice. Ooh, does Gollum have a crush on Evan? Well, this is interesting.
"Thanking Evan for offering to give me a ride home," I shrug, innocently.
"Wait, why do you need a ride home all of a sudden?" She asks, suspiciously.
"My mom has to work late and my dad's on a business trip," I inform her, innocently. What? I have to make Evan think I'm innocent, and besides, the murderous look Gollum is giving me is hilarious. "So, Evan, you're new in town, right?" He nods. I link our arms just to annoy Gollum. "Where are you from?" I ask, genuinely curious.
"New York," he says, looking relieved that Gollum isn't trying to murder me. Stupid boys, girls can only do mean things to each other secretly, sometimes we even pretend to be friends with each other, like in Mean Girls.
"Wow. But why would anyone wanna move from New York to . . . Well, here?" I ask, tilting my head.
"My mom and dad are getting a divorce and we've got family out here," he shrugs.
"I'm so sorry," I say, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay, the only real problem I have with it is that I'm turning 13 soon," he laughs a little.
"Oh, that sucks, I'm glad I don't have to worry about that until December," I smile.
"Lucky you — oh, that's my mom's car," he grins as a Honda pulls up. "Hey, Mom, this is Lucy, she needs a ride home."
"What are you waiting for then, Evan, be a gentleman and open the door for her," Ms. Goldman snaps at her son. I smile when he obliges and maintain eye contact with him as I sit down. Rule 1 of flirting? Eye contact. You don't make eye contact, you don't get to bat your eyelashes. You don't get to bat your eyelashes, he doesn't get the hint. "Get the door for Patrice, too, while you're at it."
"Right, Mom," he says. Cute, he's a gentleman.
"Sweetie — " Ms. Goldman turns to look at me.
"I live 2 blocks away from you, I'll point it out when we get there," I smile kindly.
"Well, aren't you smart; real pretty, too," she smiles right back.
"Aw, that's so sweet," I coo, "but I'm not that pretty, I mean, I guess I'm alright but — "
"Alright? You're insanely hot!" Evan pipes up. He then realizes what he said. And covers his mouth, looking mortified. Finally, someone realizes howamazing I look!
I, realizing the opportunity, give him a quick kiss on the cheek. Patrice glares daggers.
"Does she know? / Did she feel that spark? / And even though / Puberty / Is killing me / Could she like like me?" Evan sings, his hand where my lips were seconds ago.
"Pray to God / That he got the hint / And hope his mom / Favors me / Over Patrice / Or my plan won't work," I sings to myself, glancing at him.
"Is she doing what I think she is? Is she trying to steal him away? Oh, my God," Patrice murmurs, horror in her voice.
"And I'll get / All the odds if I have to / I'll power through / To get this / And this had / Better work / 'Cause I need it / Run me dry / If you have to — " he and I melodize.
"'Cause I see sparks fly," he crescendoes.
"This is bad. This is really bad if she is. She's going to ruin my life. Again." Oh, don't be so dramatic, Patrice.
"Oh, my God / She smiles at me / I'm in heaven / Past this drought / For a moment / She's freaking perfect." Sweet of him to sing. And really, it's about damn time someone realizes how hot I am without taking it for granted. It takes time to look this amazing.
Crap, I'm getting off track. "Focus, Lucy / This is for your plan / To get at / The boy you like / Even if it's not right."
"She's going to. She's really going to. That bitch. I hate her so much." Did the little bitch just call me a bitch? Oh, she is going down.
"And I'll get /All the odds if I have to / I'll power through / To get this / And this had / Better work / 'Cause I need it / Search the haystack / If you have to — " Evan and I melodize. Again.
"'Cause I want the quarterback," I belt, ending on a high note as a slap in the face to that mezzo bitch who actually questioned whether or not I should get a solo because it had a note "only a soprano could hit without a falsetto." Well, I hit the crap out of that note, alto my —
"Freaking God / Is she Satan? / I swear this is / The worst day yet / Damn, damn this / She's such a bitch. Okay, I . . . I can deal with this. I can fight for him, Lucy and I have been in fights before, that's how we got here after all," again with the word "bitch," Patty? And Satan? Really? Well . . . That does give me ideas for Halloween . . . Anyways, we both know I'll win.
"And I'll get /All the odds if I have to / I'll power through / To get this / And this had / Better work / 'Cause I need it / Bring your worst / If you have to — " we harmonize. Ooh, that was a pretty chord. Gollum and I sing surprisingly well together . . . I guess we were friends at a time. For a reason. Best friends. For a reason. Really. I couldn't just have 1 best friend.
"'Cause I had him first," she's gotten better at belting.
"It's all for the plan / To get what I demand," I do it better though. Belting, I mean. Especially in a more comfortable part of my range. Which is very impressive, if I do say so. And I do.
"Whoa / Whoa / Whoa!" Is she a mezzo or has she ascended into full on soprano? That was pretty high, at a forte, too.
"Sparks fly! / Right by!" Evan has a powerful voice, pretty good range too. That's a turn on.
"For the quarterback / With my master plan!" I intone.
"I hope we still have some miracles left," he almost laughs, it's nervous in a geeky way. A cute geeky way though.
"I need to pray to get," she sings.
"All!" He belts for a measure.
"The!" I belt another measure.
"Odds!" She follows suit.
"To get this," we all harmonize in a piano.
EVAN
"Here we are," Lucy says, pointing at a large house, "thanks for the ride, Ms. Goldman."
"Any time, darling," Mom smiles sweetly.
"Bye, Evan," Lucy waves . . . Flirtatiously? Oh, my God, is she flirting with? Please, please, please let her be flirting with me. I mean, she's smiling like she is! That's gotta mean something!
"Bye, Lucy," my voice cracks. Of course my voice cracks. Stupid puberty.
Patrice elbows me in the kidney. You know, not like I need my kidney. I send her a bewildered look because I did nothing! She crosses her arms and turns away with a glare.
What?
I didn't even do anything!
Girls are so confusing.
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